Disabilities come in many forms, but at Grand Traverse Industries, they don’t define people. Kathleen Prince was born with cerebral palsy and has used a communication device since age 3. Now, she’s using her voice to inspire others, speaking on panels and at conferences.
“So, we adopted Kathleen and when she first came to us, she had a machine, “Cindy Prince, Kathleen’s mother said. “It was, not as advanced as what this one is. It was called a Tobii, and it was it was cool to be able to see her use it, but she wasn’t really proficient at it.”
Since the age of 3 Kathleen Prince has been using devices like this to communicate.
“Now she has an Accent, and she’s had 2 or 3 Accents as they have progressed,” Cindy said. “It’s amazing what she can do with that. You would look at someone like Kathleen that has CP and you would think they there’s nothing really going on inside. And there is, so it’s so cool that she can say what’s on her mind.”
And in her own words, Kathleen told us her experience using her accent machine.
“When I was at life skills, I learned a lot that prepared me for the future,” said Kathleen Prince. “Megan my teacher, helped me with my Accent.”
There are hundreds of words in the Accent machine, and they are layered. Kat will look at the Accent for two seconds and it will take her to the topic and word she wants to discuss.
“I practiced using my accent in many different ways to help me become more proficient at speaking with others,” Kathleen said. “In some cases, we went out into the community to give me opportunities to speak with employees and be an advocate for myself.”
“She picked it up quickly,” Cindy said. “She gets better at it all the time, but, I would say probably a lot of people might take quite a while to learn all those icons, but somehow, she just memorizes it.”
This has even allowed her to pass down her knowledge to others going through something similar.
“I was given the opportunity to mentor a little girl that was just beginning to use the Accent. We met for many years. I was also given the privilege of speaking to some graduate classes at Western Michigan university. I was introduced to the Ambassador Program with PRC. I have spoken on panels and many conferences. I have now been hired as an ambassador for a PRC.”
For other families learning about disabilities it’s important to know that deep down there is a personality waiting to shine through.
“There’s so much that is inside of them that needs to come out. And there are all kinds of Accents,” Cindy said. “It’s like putting on your shoes. You don’t go without them.”
And without the device to communicate, people may not have known about Kathleen’s sense of humor or her favorite music artist Taylor Swift.
I am excited to be at Grand Traverse Industries," Kathleen said. “It is a great place to socialize and make new friends. I am hoping to continue learning more about my Accent and ways to use it for my future.”